The USCIS is overwhelmed that the backlogs are massive. There are more people applying than they’re accustomed to seeing for a variety of reasons. Mostly it’s fear. Some people that were green card holders for years and said You know what. I’m not waiting anymore with this president I’m going to file and become a U.S. citizen say they can’t take it away from me. Even people that never wanted to be U.S. citizens realized Oh I really could lose this. You never know what might happen. So they’re filing for citizenship even though historically they didn’t want to be a U.S. citizen because they don’t want to give up their Italian or French or whatever nationality that they have. Now because of the volume. USCIS is moving interviews around is moving petitions from one location to another.
Transcript:
Andres Mejer: Now USCIS is overwhelmed that the backlogs are massive. There are more people applying than they’re accustomed to seeing for a variety of reasons. Mostly it’s fear. Some people that were green card holders for years and said You know what. I’m not waiting anymore with this president I’m going to file and become a U.S. citizen say they can’t take it away from me. Even people that never wanted to be U.S. citizens realized Oh I really could lose this. You never know what might happen. So they’re filing for citizenship even though historically they didn’t want to be a U.S. citizen because they don’t want to give up their Italian or French or whatever nationality that they have. Now because of the volume. USCIS is moving interviews around is moving petitions from one location to another. For example, let’s say you live in Newark. Well, you would think that your Green Card petition would be adjudicated in Newark because it’s in the same city where you live. Well, you would think so but you may find yourself in Pennsylvania and Connecticut in Brooklyn in Mt. Laurel. I don’t believe New Jersey is being affected so much other than we’re getting other states petitions like today you’re filing for your citizenship in Brooklyn. You may have to travel to the Newark office for an interview. It doesn’t mean you’ll get denied. It does it mean that you that your petition will be delayed. It just means that immigration is trying to shuffle work from places that have too much work to places that can handle more work. Sometimes that’s New Jersey historically we have helped. New York district a number of times over the years but.
Andres Mejer: They’re really expanding that beyond the geography geographic area. So I filed for my interview. I filed my citizenship in Brooklyn. Why do I have to travel to Newark for an interview? Because the government said so you don’t know.
Andres Mejer: It just is what it is. Now. I may get a request for it so I filed for a petition. The Government can approve it can deny it can request more evidence and they’ll tell you what they want or they can I say listen we’ve got a problem. It’s our intention to deny it for this reason but we’re giving you an opportunity to address this point. Or you were charged with this crime. You didn’t give me these positions. You know if. You’re arrested for murder. But at the end of the day was dismissed. Well, they want to see this position because it’s a serious charge. The arrest alone will result in questing more information. So that request might be a different address than where you initially applied. So the way this happens is you apply you get a receipt notice within two weeks within two weeks thereafter or within a month you should get a notice saying Go get your fingerprints at this place. That will still stay local. The fingerprints will still be in your area but following that you may get no notice saying that your petition has been moved to the Vermont Service Center or Washington or to some other location. It doesn’t mean that it will be delayed. The contrary. They’re doing it to try to get a faster response. It doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong with what you did or how you did it. This is just the government trying to figure out OK trying to reallocate resources doesn’t mean you’ll be denied. It just means they’re trying their best as they put it to give you a fair and timely resolution rather than having you wait. Now, what happens if they give me an interview. Not in Brooklyn, I live in Brooklyn and now I have to go to I don’t know Philadelphia.
Andres Mejer: Can I reschedule it. Yes, you can.
Andres Mejer: I would not recommend you do so for the simple reason is you don’t know when you’ll get a new date. It could be months in the future. And chances are you’re not going to be able to change the location. It’s still going to be wherever they tell you unless you do whatever they tell you unless you have a really good reason. I can’t think of what one would be. You know what kind of medical ailments you could have that would prevent you from going to one location versus another. Meaning if I’m incapacitated chances are I can’t go to any location. Does it matter where it is? But extreme circumstances may result in different responses right now. My recommendation is don’t adjourn. Do what you can to go on that date but don’t go alone make sure you go with an attorney.
